3 Surprising Qualities of Dog Agility Equipment You Need to Look For

Dog agility is a fun sport to get into for you and your dog. It gets your dog's energy out in a fun and creative way. You get to teach your dog new tricks all the while creating a deeper bond. You can take your dog to a dedicated dog agility facility, but that can get expensive. Or you can purchase your own equipment to use at home. When you purchase your own dog agility equipment though, make sure you take these three qualities into consideration. These qualities may not be factors you think of, but they are important.

Portability

You may not think of portability as an issue when choosing your equipment, but it can be. Portable equipment allows you to practice agility anywhere you want. Such equipment is also easier to transport. And some are also indoor friendly so you can practice inside when the weather outside isn't too friendly.

Also, portable equipment makes it easy to set up and then tear down when you are done. This is especially useful if you take your dog to parks to practice or if you are practicing in a part of your home indoors. Portable equipment is easy to set up and easy to break apart. And you can easily take it with you wherever you go.

Sturdiness

A second quality that you need to look for is how sturdy the equipment is. Your dog agility equipment needs to be sturdy enough so that when your dog jumps on it, uses it, or runs through it, it will stay in place and won't fall apart. Jumps need to be sturdy so it stays up while your dog is jumping over it. Tunnels need to be sturdy enough so they don't collapse on your dog as he or she is running through it. See-saws need to be able to support your dog's weight.

At the same time, you don't want them to be too sturdy. You want your bars on your jumps to fall if your dog isn't able to jump too high. If the bar doesn't move, it could potentially hurt your dog.

Available Space

This third quality isn't directly related to the dog agility equipment itself. It relates to how much will fit in the space you have. If you have a large yard, then you'll be able to set up a complete course for your dog. But, if you only have half of your living room available, you'll only be able to get one or two pieces such as a jump or some weave poles.

You don't have to spend a fortune on your dog agility equipment either. If you are just starting out, it's worth it to buy just one item at a time so your dog can get comfortable with each activity before adding more.

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